How Does the Taxpayer Advocate Service Work for You?

The Taxpayer Advocate Service is an independent organization within the Internal Revenue Service. We protect taxpayers’ rights by ensuring that all taxpayers receive fair treatment. We can also help you to know and understand your rights under the Taxpayer Bill of Rights.

What is the Taxpayer Bill of Rights?

The Taxpayer Bill of Rights describes ten basic rights that all taxpayers have when dealing with the IRS. Our taxpayer rights webpage can help you understand what these rights mean to you and how they apply. These are your rights. Know them. Use them.

Our site at taxpayeradvocate.irs.gov also can help you with common tax issues and situations: what to do if you made a mistake on your tax return, if you got a notice from the IRS or you’re thinking about hiring a tax preparer.

What can a Taxpayer Advocate do for you?

We can help you resolve problems that you can’t resolve with the IRS. And our service is free. Always try to resolve your problem with the IRS first, but if you can’t, then come to the Taxpayer Advocate Service. The best thing you can do is act now!

  • We help individuals, businesses, and exempt organizations. If you qualify for our help, your advocate will be with you at every turn and do everything possible.
  • You may be eligible for our help if your IRS problem is causing financial difficulty or you believe an IRS procedure just isn’t working as it should.
  • We have offices in every state, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Your local advocate’s number is in your local directory and at taxpayeradvocate.irs.gov. You can also call us at 1-877-777-4778.

We also handle large-scale problems that affect many taxpayers. If you know of one of these broad issues, please report it to us at irs.gov/sams.

The Taxpayer Advocate Service is your voice at the IRS. For more information, visit us at taxpayeradvocate.irs.gov.

No Author Biography has been linked to this Article.

Related Articles

June 7, 2020
By The Honorable William Houston Brown (Retired) HAVEN Act applied to modification when plan was confirmed prior to Act becoming law. The debtor proposed a plan modification deleting from disposable income $1,789 monthly VA disability benefits. First concluding that the HAVEN Act was applicable law at time of this decision, nothing in the Act, its legislative history or the Official...
Members
January 2, 2022
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland recently appointed Mary Ida Townson as the U.S. Trustee for Florida, Georgia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands (Region 21). Ms. Townson assumed her duties in June and replaced Nancy Gargula, who is the U.S. Trustee in Region 10 and who had served as the interim U.S. Trustee in Region 21...
boltz2
February 9, 2025
Ed provides a synopsis and compelling commentary on this study by the Center for Responsible Lending, which may be of particular interest to trustees.
Screenshot_9-6-2025_113116_
August 17, 2025
For below-median income debtors, plan extensions beyond 36 months are meant to be voluntary and flexible—not coerced by courts, trustees, or creditors. While ‘cause’ can justify a longer plan, it must be determined case-by-case.
Members
moran_cathy
June 21, 2026
I’ll give you three guesses . . . and the first two don’t count . . .
Members
academystaff
January 12, 2025
Trustee Deborah Langehennig lead University of Texas to its third national Duberstein championship. GO DEB!!!!
Consumer Bankruptcy Education
October 12, 2025
Did you know that people sometimes ask for PACER account information and that you can make such a request? We found this helpful information in the Fall 2025 The Southern Scoop, a newsletter published by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Georgia.
Keith Rucinski
July 14, 2024
“The non filing and late filing of claims is a national issue with many jurisdictions struggling to address the issue.” Great article, particularly for creditors/creditor attorneys. Not a subscriber? Click here.
Members
January 10, 2021
By Rachel Jones, Staff Attorney to Chapter 13 Standing Trustee Chris Micale, Western District of Virginia (Roanoke) The events of 2020 have had a devastating impact on the very low-income population. The working poor are struggling, particularly those working in sectors such as hospitality and tourism. State and Federal funding and local programs such as food banks and community action...
Copy of Hildebrand-2016
April 5, 2026
A bankruptcy filing by a guarantor of a note secured by property titled in the debtor’s LLC is not protected by the automatic stay.
Members

Looking to Become a Member?

ConsiderChapter13.org offers a forum to advance continuing education of consumer bankruptcy via access to insightful articles, informative webinars, and the latest industry news. Join now to benefit from expert resources and stay informed.

Webinars

These informative sessions are led by industry experts and cover a range of consumer bankruptcy topics.

Member Articles

Written by industry experts, these articles provide in-depth analysis and practical guidance on consumer bankruptcy topics.

Industry News

The Academy is the go-to source for the latest news and analysis in the Chapter 13 bankruptcy industry.

To get started, please let us know which of these best fits your current position: